1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a release mechanism between a projectile and a rocket motor in a missile, where the projectile releases from the rocket motor during the flight thereof when the rocket motor is burned out and retardation occurs.
2. Description of the Related Art
The release mechanism according to the invention is developed for use in missiles, and in particular, but not exclusively, in rocket accelerated penetrators. Rocket accelerated penetrators are often kept in their storing and standby state with the main parts thereof not assembled. This means that the part having control fins, the fin cone, and the rocket motor proper is assembled to the penetrator at the moment before the missile is launched from the launcher. The penetrator, which is in form of an arrow like body having substantial mass, is lying in standby position in a translation tube within the rocket motor and with the pointed end thereof supported in the control fin part. How the assembly operation happens is more detailed described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,393 issued Dec. 9, 2003.
During launching preparations the penetrator is translated through the translation tube and the control fin part, and the rear end of the penetrator is interlocked to the control fin part immediately before the rocket motor is ignited. It is common practise that the rocket motor is separated from the penetrator during the flight thereof as soon as the rocket motor is burned out and has lost its propelling force. It is the mechanism for this separation between the penetrator, and more generally the projectile, and the rocket motor the present application deal with.